Chaeles stott



C. STOTT.

. Oil Still.

Patented Aug. 27, 1867.

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CHARLES STOTT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Letters Patent No. 68,257, dated August 27, 1867; antedated August 19, 1 867. V

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To ALL wnoM rr MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CIIARLEs STOTT, of San Francisco city, San Francisco county, State of California, have invented a new and improved Apparatus for Distilling and Rectifying Petroleum or Earth Oil; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention, without further invention or experiment. I

The nature of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for distilling and rectifying crude petroleum; the whole being accomplished at one operation, while the oil is much purer and has less smell than that rectified in the ordinary manner by great heat and the use of acids.

To effect this I provide a still, or retort, into which the crude oil is introduced. Heat is then applied until the temperature is somewhat raised, but not to the boiling point. Steam is then let in through jets from a pipe situated near the bottom of the still or retort, and the oil is thoroughly permeated by it, and is carried in the form of vapor into a rectifier, where it is again subjected to jets of steam from the tube near the bottom. This has the efi ect to thoroughly comminute the vapor, which rises till it strikesa refrigerating coil of pipe. This condenses and throws down the heavier portion, which passes through the bottom of the rectifier into a worm where it is still further condensed, andthen runs back through a pipe into the retort or still to be again subjected to the steam till all the most valuable portions have been extracted. The vapor, which is not condensed by striking the first refrigerating coil, rises still further, where the next heaviest portion passes through a pipe into another refrigerating coil from which the illumination oil is drawn off. The lightest portion and the gases rise to the highest part, from which they are conducted by a pipe through a coil, and thus any condensable parts are saved.

To more fully. explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, and letters marked thereon, of which Figure 1 is a top view or plan of my apparatus.

Figure 2, a side elevation, with a. section of the still or retort taken through a: :12, fig. 1.

Figure 3, a sectional elevation of the rectifying apparatus taken through y y, fig. 1.

Figure 4, a view of the rectifier and the arrangement of thejets for steam.

Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the figures,

A represents a still or retort into which the crude oil is introduced by apipe, B. When sufiiciently full the cock is closed and gentle heat applied by means of furnaces below. After raising the temperature to a point much less than the boiliiig point of the oil, steam is let on through holes orjets in the pipe C. This steam thoroughly peruicates'the oil and vaporizes it, carrying it through the pipe D to the rectifier E. In this rectitier it meets another jet ofhot steam from the pipe F, which has holes for its escape. The mingled vapor of the oil and water rises towards the top of the rectifier, where it comes in contact with an endless coil, G, through which circulates cold water. This has the elfect to condense the heavier portion of the oil which passes through the bottom of the receiver, and from thence through the coil H, which is surrounded by cold water. After pass- -ing from this coil it is led back by a pipe, I, to the still" or retort again, to be again raised in vapor and carried into the rectifier till the more valuable parts are extracted, when it'may be drawn off at I. The lighter vapor rises toward the upper part of the rectifier, and being further condensed flows through the pipe J to the worm K, where it is condensed so as to be drawn oil at the lower end. This portion forms the illuminating oil. The lightest portion and the gases rise to the top of the rectifier, from whence they are conveyed through the pipe I and the worm H, thus condensing all that can be condensed, while the gases are allowed to escape.

In the methods now in use the crude oil is heated till the vapor passes into a condensing receiver, from which it is taken and further treated with acids to deprive it of the dark color and smell arising from the great heat employed to vaporize it in the retort. As the retort is not full, the upper part becomes very hot, and

i the vapor is burned, thereby giving the oil a dark color or disagreeable smell, which must be removed, as far as possible, by other processes; but in my improved apparatus, by the use of steam in the retort, I am enabled to dispense with the high heat usually employed, while by the jets of steam in the rectifier the vapor is thoroughly comminuted, and the heavier parts easily separated by condensation. The vapor not beingbur'ned by a high heat, there will be comparatively little smell or color in the rectified oil.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for distilling and rectifying petroleum, in which steam is used in the still, or retort and rectifier, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The rectifier E, together with the endless coil G, the coils H and M, and the returning pipe T, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

CHARLES STOTT. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH, Geo. H. STRONG. 

